Kruger National Park – Swaziland

Today we will have our final game drive through Kruger, before heading towards Swaziland and make our way into Hlane Royal National Park – an enormous nature reserve that houses lion, elephant and white rhino, to name a few.

The smallest country in the southern hemisphere and one of the remaining monarchies in Africa, the Kingdom of Swaziland has been independent from the Commonwealth since the year 1968. Swaziland is ruled by a King who is appointed in accordance with Swazi tradition, and if he is not able to fulfil his duties for whatsoever reason, the Queen Mother will then take over as ruling party. In the 1980s, this small country made international headlines when it was ruled by two Queens, one after the other. After the passing of King Sobhuza II, the Queen Dzeliwe Shongwe reigned from 1982-1983, and just a few months later, Ntombi Twala rose as the country’s second female Head of State since the country’s independence. Swaziland is surrounded on all sides by South Africa with the exception of 100 kilometres of border with Mozambique in the east, making it a landlocked country. Its natural resources are used sustainably and regardless of the size of the country, it contains some of the finest game reserves and national parks in southern Africa. Animals such as elephant, lion and rhino have been restored to the region after their disappearance that occurred due to hunting. It is renowned for its stunning, abundant bird life.